YT Season? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

addicted2sp33d · 10-12-2016, 07:45 AM

I think this might be a legit question this year, given that the kelp beds which "anchor" the homeguards are significantly reduced.

What do the professionals/veterans think?

I was out in La Jolla this past weekend and it may have been the most quiet I've ever seen the place - just endless fields of buoys.

I spent time inside the buoy field, outside the buoy field, north of the buoys, west of the buoys, at one point I was literally about 2 miles west of the coast and almost into the South La Jolla MPA. Nothing.

The weather and water were beautiful, but there was just no active life that I could see. A little creepy, really. I didn't see any scuba chickens, sea dogs; nothing. I saw several pelican teams, but they were all formation flying somewhere further-offshore than I felt comfortable-with.

Maybe everything was just hanging out even deeper than where I was dropping lines.

It was my first legit-skunk (couldn't even make bait) in a LONG time.
I got a really good workout from the mileage I covered though.

chris138 · 10-12-2016, 01:17 PM

In my opinion, winter yt fishing has been better than summer the last 3 years. Bigger fish, smaller crowds.

Also the "homeguard hypothesis" is not a simple as that. The fish are definitely full time residents in our local waters, but the LJ kelp bed is a small fraction of their territory. Most of the really big yt over the years have been caught on the canyon edge, not by the shallow shelves where the macrocystis grows. There have been times in the last couple winters when the best YT fishing is on the rockpiles in 300'+ of water.

makobob · 10-12-2016, 04:11 PM

Chris catching big YT during the winters at La Jolla and else where in deep water around rock piles is much older then my 68 years. In the early 50's gramps used to fish them every winter. small rock cod and sand dabs were used as bait, along with sardines and macks. Worked then and still works now. Tight Lines.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris138

In my opinion, winter yt fishing has been better than summer the last 3 years. Bigger fish, smaller crowds.

Also the "homeguard hypothesis" is not a simple as that. The fish are definitely full time residents in our local waters, but the LJ kelp bed is a small fraction of their territory. Most of the really big yt over the years have been caught on the canyon edge, not by the shallow shelves where the macrocystis grows. There have been times in the last couple winters when the best YT fishing is on the rockpiles in 300'+ of water.

taggermike · 10-15-2016, 08:58 AM

YT are interesting fish; depending on season and conditions you can find them from the surf zone to hundreds of miles off shore. From the surface to hundreds of feet deep. On both sides of the Baja peninsula all the way up to Oregon (occasionally). They bite all year. Mike

Sheephead · 10-15-2016, 06:03 PM

YT are here yearround. You haven't heard anything because it takes like 200+ hours to make a single bait in LJ unless you win the lottery. SD bay halibut use mackerel and fish insanely fast currents. Faster the current = bigger hali's. And I seriously mean FAST!

YakDout · 10-12-2016, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by addicted2sp33d

I think this might be a legit question this year, given that the kelp beds which "anchor" the homeguards are significantly reduced.

What do the professionals/veterans think?

I was out in La Jolla this past weekend and it may have been the most quiet I've ever seen the place - just endless fields of buoys.

I spent time inside the buoy field, outside the buoy field, north of the buoys, west of the buoys, at one point I was literally about 2 miles west of the coast and almost into the South La Jolla MPA. Nothing.

The weather and water were beautiful, but there was just no active life that I could see. A little creepy, really. I didn't see any scuba chickens, sea dogs; nothing. I saw several pelican teams, but they were all formation flying somewhere further-offshore than I felt comfortable-with.

Maybe everything was just hanging out even deeper than where I was dropping lines.

It was my first legit-skunk (couldn't even make bait) in a LONG time.
I got a really good workout from the mileage I covered though.

Im not an expert, but I was also out this past weekend. Didn't fish la jolla but just around the corner. I was drifting around for halibut (or trying to) and water movement was just piss poor. I was stoked when it got windy in the afternoon because for the first half of the day with no wind and no tide, it just wasn't happening. I have noticed some of my best days at la jolla are when that south current is just ripping you down faster than you can keep up. The fish like the strong water movement.

10-12-2016, 07:45 AM	#1
addicted2sp33d Here fishy fishy fishy... Join Date: May 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 774	I think this might be a legit question this year, given that the kelp beds which "anchor" the homeguards are significantly reduced. What do the professionals/veterans think? I was out in La Jolla this past weekend and it may have been the most quiet I've ever seen the place - just endless fields of buoys. I spent time inside the buoy field, outside the buoy field, north of the buoys, west of the buoys, at one point I was literally about 2 miles west of the coast and almost into the South La Jolla MPA. Nothing. The weather and water were beautiful, but there was just no active life that I could see. A little creepy, really. I didn't see any scuba chickens, sea dogs; nothing. I saw several pelican teams, but they were all formation flying somewhere further-offshore than I felt comfortable-with. Maybe everything was just hanging out even deeper than where I was dropping lines. It was my first legit-skunk (couldn't even make bait) in a LONG time. I got a really good workout from the mileage I covered though.

10-12-2016, 01:17 PM	#2
chris138 donkey roper Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pacific Beach Posts: 968	In my opinion, winter yt fishing has been better than summer the last 3 years. Bigger fish, smaller crowds. Also the "homeguard hypothesis" is not a simple as that. The fish are definitely full time residents in our local waters, but the LJ kelp bed is a small fraction of their territory. Most of the really big yt over the years have been caught on the canyon edge, not by the shallow shelves where the macrocystis grows. There have been times in the last couple winters when the best YT fishing is on the rockpiles in 300'+ of water.

10-15-2016, 08:58 AM	#4
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	YT are interesting fish; depending on season and conditions you can find them from the surf zone to hundreds of miles off shore. From the surface to hundreds of feet deep. On both sides of the Baja peninsula all the way up to Oregon (occasionally). They bite all year. Mike

10-15-2016, 06:03 PM	#5
Sheephead Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego Posts: 115	YT are here yearround. You haven't heard anything because it takes like 200+ hours to make a single bait in LJ unless you win the lottery. SD bay halibut use mackerel and fish insanely fast currents. Faster the current = bigger hali's. And I seriously mean FAST!